Salsa Dance Steps

Salsa Dance Styles

Salsa can be danced in various styles by accenting different beats in the music. Here we will describe the Salsa Dance that accentuates the "2 or
second beat in the Music.

Salsa Dance Step Timing

The way the dance steps fit into the music is called the "step timing" or just "timing" for short.
The word cadance means to marking time or keeping time < of sense impecable an have must you dancer great a be>
The timing of the dancer's steps to the music is important to archive a fluid dance. There are numerous timings popular in Salsa today. Salsa can
be danced in various styles by accenting different beats in the music
As in all music the rhythm and the melody in Salsa music compete for the listener's attention. In addition in Salssa Music the Rythm and the
Melody are syncopated or "off-beat" from one another. Salsa Music is commonly written in four beats per measure time signature. In salsa dance
the Dancer uses two measures of the music to complete one cycle in their basic dance. One measure is for the left side and the other is for the right
side of the body.

Follow the Leader

Traditionally in Salsa Dance the Man is the Leader and the Woman is the Follower. Together the Leader and the Follower are known as Dance
Partners or simply Partners. The Man guides the woman by giving her "claves", These "claves" are little tugs, pushes, or checks given at the right
time in the momentum of the dance that let the Follower know when to turn, hesitate, dip, cross-body, etc.

Closed Position = Partner Contact

The Salsa Basic Dance Step is danced in closed, also called "European", position with the Man facing the Woman.
There are four points of Contact between the Man and the Woman.
1.) The Man takes the Womans Right Hand with his Left Hand.
2.) The Man places his Right Hand on the Womans back.
3.) The woman places her Left hand on the Man's shoulder.
4.) The Man and the Woman look into each others Eyes.

Salsa On~2 The Razz M' Tazz Step

Basic Salsa Step ~ Man's Timing.

The numbers below represents the beat of the music. Your weight should be on the foot mentioned by the time the beat occurs in the music.
Break" means steeping forward quickly and rocking back in essences Breaking your momentum. Remember to Dance light on your toes and have
FUN!.
Start with both of you feet together.
1.) Hold the Beat
2.) Step forward with your Left Foot
3.) Rock back onto your Right Foot
4 ) Step back with your Left Foot
5.) Hold the Beat
6.) Step back with the Right Foot
7.) Rock forward onto your Left Foot
8 ) Step forward with your Right Foot Repeat Step 1

Basic Salsa Step Diagram ~ Man's Timing.

Basic Salsa Step ~ Woman's Timing.
Start with both of you feet together

5.) Hold the Beat

2.) Step back with the Right Foot
3.) Rock forward onto your Left Foot
4 ) Step forward with your Right Foot/dd>
5.) Hold the Beat
6.) Step forward with the Left Foot
7.) Rock back onto your Right Foot
8 ) Step back with your Left Foot Repeat Step 1

Practice Music Juan Carlos Formwel Track 6

Salsa On~2 The Eddie Torres Step

Basic Salsa Step ~ Man's Timing.

The numbers below represents the beat of the music. Your weight should be on the foot mentioned by the time the beat occurs in the music.
Break" means steeping forward quickly and rocking back in essences Breaking your momentum. Remember to Dance light on your toes and have
FUN!.
Start with both of you feet together.
1.) Step forward with your Right Foot
2.) Break forward with your Left Foot
3.) Step weight back onto your Right Foot
4 ) Hold this beat.
5.) Step back with your Left Foot
6.) Break back with the Right Foot
7.) Step weight forward onto your Left Foot
8 ) Hold this beat Repeat Step 1

Basic Salsa Step Diagram ~ Man's Timing.

Basic Salsa Step ~ Woman's Timing.
Start with both of you feet together

1.) Step back with your Left Foot

2.) Break back with your Right Foot
3.) Step weight back onto your Left Foot
4 ) Hold this beat.
5.) Step forward with your Right Foot
6.) Break forward with the Left Foot
7.) Step weight back onto your Right Foot
8 ) Hold this beat Repeat Step 1

Practice Music Band/Artist: El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico

Album: 30th Anniversary Song: Un Verano en Nueva York

Salsa On~1 Los Angeles Style

Basic Salsa Step ~ Man's Timing.

The numbers below represents the beat of the music. Your weight should be on the foot mentioned by the time the beat occurs in the music.
Break" means steeping forward quickly and rocking back in essences Breaking your momentum. Remember to Dance light on your toes and have
FUN!.
Start with both of you feet together.
1.) Break forward with your Left Foot
2.) Rock back onto your Right Foot
3 ) Step back with your Left Foot
4.) Shift your weight on to your Left Foot
5.) Step back with the Right Foot
6.) Rock forward onto your Left Foot
7 ) Step forward with your Right Foot
8.) Shift your weight on to your Right Foot Repeat Step 1
Basic Salsa Step Diagram ~ Man's Timing.

Basic Salsa Step ~ Woman's Timing.

Start with both of you feet together

1.) Step back with the Right Foot

2.) Rock forward onto your Left Foot
3 ) Step forward with your Right Foot/dd>
4.) Shift your weight on to your Right Foot
5.) Step forward with the Left Foot
6.) Rock back onto your Right Foot
7 ) Step back with your Left Foot
8.) Shift your weight on to your Left Foot Repeat Step 1

Practice Music Tito Puente, Pa' Los Rumberos

Salsa On~3 Cuban-Style

Basic Salsa Step ~ Man's Timing.

The numbers below represents the beat of the music. Your weight should be on the foot mentioned by the time the beat occurs in the music.
Break" means steeping forward quickly and rocking back in essences Breaking your momentum. Remember to Dance light on your toes and have
FUN!.
Start with both of you feet together. Note you start on the 3rd beat of the musical bar.
3.) Break forward with your Left Foot
4.) Rock back onto your Right Foot
5 ) Step back with your Left Foot
6.) Shift your weight on to your Left Foot
7.) Step back with the Right Foot
8.) Rock forward onto your Left Foot
1 ) Step forward with your Right Foot
2.) Shift your weight on to your Right Foot Repeat Step 1
Basic Salsa Step Diagram ~ Man's Timing.

Basic Salsa Step ~ Woman's Timing.

Start with both of you feet together. Note you start on the 3rd beat of the musical bar.

3.) Step back with the Right Foot

4.) Rock forward onto your Left Foot
5 ) Step forward with your Right Foot
6.) Shift your weight on to your Right Foot
7.) Step forward with the Left Foot
8.) Rock back onto your Right Foot
1 ) Step back with your Left Foot
2.) Shift your weight on to your Left Foot Repeat Step 1

Practice Music Los Van Van

Salsa On~2 JustSalsa-Step

Basic Salsa Step ~ Man's Timing.

The numbers below represents the beat of the music. Your weight should be on the foot mentioned by the time the beat occurs in the music.
Break" means steeping forward quickly and rocking back in essences Breaking your momentum. Remember to Dance light on your toes and have
FUN!.
Start with both of you feet together.
1.) Shift your weight on to your Right Foot
2.) Step forward with your Left Foot
3.) Rock back onto your Right Foot
4 ) Step back with your Left Foot
5.) Shift your weight on to your Left Foot
6.) Step back with the Right Foot
7.) Rock forward onto your Left Foot
8 ) Step forward with your Right Foot Repeat Step 1
Basic Salsa Step Diagram ~ Man's Timing.

Basic Salsa Step ~ Woman's Timing.

Start with both of you feet together

1.) Shift your weight on to your Left Foot

2.) Step back with the Right Foot
3.) Rock forward onto your Left Foot
4 ) Step forward with your Right Foot/dd>
5.) Shift your weight on to your Right Foot
6.) Step forward with the Left Foot
7.) Rock back onto your Right Foot
8 ) Step back with your Left Foot Repeat Step 1

Practice Music Juan Carlos Formwel Track 6